Packaging apparatus



Aug. 8, 1943. A. B. EREKSON PACKAGING APPARATUS Filed July 26,

1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1 l I l l l l I I 1 I I l l I I INVENTOR ARTHUR EREKSON Q14 zk ATfo b lEY Aug. 3', 1943. A. B. EREKSON PACKAGING APPARATUS Filed July 26, 1941 IIMH W WW m gx Ml.

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' wuunmwmnIan in 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ART/10KB [KE'KSO/V A-ET NEY Patented Aug. 3, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT- orrlcs 9 Claims.

The invention relates to the packaging of articles in cardboard containers or the like, and more particularly to improvements in apparatus of the type described in my copending application Serial No. 366,212.

In my former application referred to, I have described and claimed a method and apparatus for utilizing the operation of applying a telescopic cover to a container as a means of completing the formation of the container itself. One or more of the sides of the container are arranged to be folded into their upstanding positions after the contents have been placed in the partially formed container or upon the container blank. My present invention will be described with particular reference to the type of carton referred toin my copending application aforesaid and which is used, for example, in wrapping packages of foodstuffs such as cheese, wherein the sides are designed to unfold to form a slicing and serving tray. After certain of the sides have been folded into their upstanding positions around the article which is to be packaged, the container is advanced with its unfolded side leading so as to engage one end of the cover in such a way that as the cover is tilted into telescopic relationship to the container, it will fold up the leading side of the container.

It is an object of my invention to provide improvements in packaging apparatus of the class described to insure more positive operation thereof.

A specific object of my invention is to provide improvements in apparatus of the class described which will make it possible to use lighter gauge stock for the containers; also, to facilitate the application of tighter fitting covers.

A further object is toprovide more positive means for pressing the covers into their final closed position without danger of damaging either the container or the cover.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear as the description proceeds.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is avertical longitudinal sectional view showing a preferred form of apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a. plan view of the same apparatus with the cover-conveying chute shown in horizontal section.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 and shows a portion of the same apparatus, but with the parts in another position, as will be described.

taken as indicated at 4-4 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken as indicated at 5-5 in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1. This view shows the means for holding the container blank while the article to be packaged is pushed into place thereon.

The invention has been illustrated with reference to the packaging of a small rectangular article III in a container whose bottom member ll consists of a flat section I2 having four sides l3, I4, I 4, and I5, designed to be folded into upstanding position against the sides of the article It and to be held in that position by the sides It of the telescopic cover l1. The container blank is scored along the fold lines where the sides join the bottom section l2.

The container blank, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 6, is placed on the table ll of the packaging machine in position to engage the guide plate 20. The blank is held in position against the table It and guide 20 by vacuum means applied at the outlet nipples IS, the control mechanism for which will be described later. i

The article ID is placed in position on the container blank as shown at the left end of Fig. 1. A pusher dog 2| carried by a chain 22 comes around a sprocket wheel 23, passing through a slot 24 in the table l8 at the proper angle to fold the trailing side I! of the container into upstanding position against the article lil and to carry the container forward (to the right as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2). The vacuum is cut off just as the side l5 reaches its upright position, releasing the container for forward movement. In the embodiment shown, this is accomplished by a suitable cam control, for which purpose the outlet nipples I! are connected by conduits 25 and 2G to a vacuum pump (not shown) through a valve 21. The operating lever 28 of this valve is arranged to be controlled by a cam 29 and cooperating roller 30 through a connecting rod 3| and its slotted extension 32 on which the roller 30 is pivotally mounted. The roller 3|! is held in engagement with the surface of the cam 28 by means of a spring 33 which is connected at one end to a stationary member such as the body of the valve 21, and at the other end to a member 34 fixed to the connecting rod 3|. The cam 29 may conveniently be mounted on the shaft 38 which carries sprocket 39. The sprocket 39 is used to drive the container-advancing mechanism, and the shaft 38, may be driven from any suitable source'of power through a drive 43 (Fig. 2). The drive 40 for the container-advancing against the sides of the article.

' slightly toward the container.

mechanism may, if desired. be connected to the operating mechanism of a machine for applying an inner wrapping to the article II) (as for example, metal foil for cheese) thus synchronizing the operation of the two machines. However,

any other source of power can be employed, as y will be understood.

As the container is pushed forward by the dog II, the lateral sides l4, l4 engage the inclined guides 4| and are lifted into upright position Meanwhile a cover i1 is moved transversely into the path of movement of the container in a position to cause theinside of one of the sides ii of the cover to catch the unfolded side ii of the container upon advancement thereof. In my preferred arrangement, this is accomplished by feeding the covers II by gravity through a chute 42 arranged at right angles to the table i8 and thereafter dropping theicovers into a position at substantially right angles to the bottom I12 of the container.

As the cover reaches its position in line with the advancing container it preferably is tilted In the construction shown, this is accomplished by means of a finger 43 arranged to pass through a slot 45 in the back of the chute 42. The operation of the finger 43 is controlled by a cam 44 which may be mounted on the shaft 38, and which cooperates with a roller 45 mounted on one end of a bell crank lever 48 pivoted at 41 to the frame of the machine or other suitable support. The finger 4! is mounted at the other end of the bell crank lever 45 in any suitable manner, as by means of the attaching bracket 48 and extension 48 (Fig. A spring 50, attached at one end t the bell crank lever 45 and at the other end to a stationary support such as the chute, holds the roller 45 in contact with the cam 44.

After being tilted slightly toward the container by the cam-controlled finger. 43, it is lightly restrained in this tilted position (shown in Fig. 3) by the pressure of the covers in the chute above. The retention of the proper tilted position may further be insured by so timing the action of the finger 43 that it remains in contact with the top of the cover until the lower side l5 thereof has been initially engaged by the unfolded side I! of the container bottom.

As the container continues to advance, it pushes against the lower end of the cover, carrying it underneath the lower edge 5rl of the back of the chute 42 and into engagement with a roller 52 supported in a manner to impose a yielding pressure on the top of the cover as by means of mounting said roller on a pair of swinging arms 53 pivotally mounted on lugs 54 on the chute. As the container is advanced in this manner, the container and cover are moved together by a tilting or pivotal action around the fold line of the unfolded side i 3 s as to simultaneously fold said side and bring the container and cover into telescopic relationship. Thus the side I3 is pulled into folded position by the lifting action of the lower side iii of the cover. The upright sections 55 of the guides 4| feed the lateral sides l4 of the container into the cover. The final phase of the action of swinging the cover down over the trailing side i5 of the container is facilitated by the forward inclination of the pusher dog 2| (Fig. 3) as it passes around the sprocket 39 and moves downwardly along the back of the container, for this v forward inclination of the dog produces a slight forward inclination of the side i5 so that this side intersects or lies within the arc of movement of the edge of the descending cover.

It will be understobd from the foregoing description that the roller 52, or other'yieldable element, assists in tilting the cover and in pressing it into telescopic relationship to the container by bearing lightly against the top of the cover while the cover is carried forward by'the container, and during the initial part of the tilting movement of the cover. I also provide a second yieldable member 56 which is arranged to apply increased pressure against the top of the cover at the end of its movement, and while the container is stationary. The operation of the member 58 is controlled by a cam associated with the mechanism for advancing the container. and in the preferred arrangement illustrated, the cam 44 previously referred to is used for this purpose, together with its cooperating roller and the bell crank lever 48. The member 56 is pivotally secured,as at 51, to a support 58 which normally occupies a fixed position. The upper end 59 of the member 55 is arranged for engagement with the extension 49 of the bell crank lever 48 upon the return movement of the finger 43 from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 1. When the member 56 is thus actuated, its rounded lower end 60 bears against a cross piece 8| which, as shown in Fig. 5, extends between the arms 53 which support the roller 52, carrying the roller into the position shown in Fig. l to pressthe cover i1 firmly down on the container.

In the preferred construction illustrated, the supporting member 58 is slidably mounted in the hollow bracket 62 which may conveniently be mounted on the back of the chute 42. A spring 68 connected at one end to the base of this bracket and at the other end to a projection 64 on the slidable support 58 normally holds this support in its innermost position shown in Figs. 1 and 3. When, however, the additional pressure exerted by the member 56 exceeds a predetermined amount, as determined by the adjustment of this spring 63, the support 58 will move to the right as shown in these views, thus preventing the application of excessive pressure to the cover by the roller 52. The slidable mounting of the support 58, in conjunction with the spring 63, provides a safety arrangement which prevents damage to the apparatus in the event of jamming.

The mechanism thus far described for tilting the cover and pressing it into place on the container comprises three elements, namely: (1) the cam controlled tilting finger 43; (2) the yieldably supported roller 52 which, independently of the auxiliary member 56, bears lightly against the top of the cover while the cover is carried forward by the container (as illustrated in Fig. 3); and (3) the cam-controlled yieldable member 56 which cooperates with the roller 52 and its supporting mechanism to apply increased pressure against the top of the cover at the end of its movement and while the container is stationary (as viewed in Fig. 1). In my preferred arrangement I provide a third yieldable element which provides means for retarding the advancing movement of the completed package as it is shoved along by a succeeding container to which the cover is being applied. Thisthird yieldable element is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, and comprises a pressure bar 65 which bears against one side of the completed package and imposes fric- 2,825,670 I tional resistance to forward movement of one or more of the completed packages. The pressure bar OI operates in conjunction with a trough or other means for guiding the completed packages on the downstream side of the cover applying mechanism. In the construction shown, one side of such a guiding trough is in the form of a fixed rail 66 secured to the table is of the machine. The other side of this trough is formed by the pressure bar Bl which is held in spaced relatiOnship to a supporting rail 61 by springsof other suitable resilient means 68. These may conveniently be coil springs surrounding adjusting screws 88 which have a threaded engagement with the pressure bar GI. A flange ll formed at the top of the supporting rail 61 forms, in con- Junction with the table IS, a guide and housing for the bar 85.

The friction bar I provides means for retarding the advancing movement of the completed packages to exert pressure against the forward end of the cover which is being applied to the succeeding container, and thereby assists in.

closing said cover in telescopic engagement with said container, This action will be understood by considering a position of the cover during the applying operation which is intermediate the position of the cover A shown in Fig. 1 and the cover B shown in Fig. 3. As the advancing container pushes ahead against the lower end of the cover A, it is carried forward into a position in which its leading end engages the trailing end of the preceding completed package C. This assists in bringing the forward end of the cover A tightly against the forward end of the container so that as the cover tilts into place, its trailing side will fall behind the trailing side of the container. Moreover, it will be seen that when the cover is in the position shown at B in Fig. 3, its forward end will be squeezed between the container and the preceding package by the combined action of the dog It on the conveyor chain 22 and the friction bar 65 which retards this forward movement of the preceding packages. This assists the gravity action of the roller 52 (Fig. 3), and later, the combined action of this roller and the yieldable element 56 (Fig. 1), in bringing the cover into proper telescopic relationship to the container without damage to either the cover or the container.

The mechanism which I have shown and described makes it possible to apply tightly fitting covers, and also makes it possible to use lighter stock for the trays. Machines constructed in accordance with my invention will be found to operate very reliably and with few, if any, interruptions. I

The terms and expressions which I have em-- ployed are used in a. descriptive and not a limiting sense, and I have no intention of excluding such equivalents of the invention described, or of portions thereof, as fall within the purview of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a packaging machine, mechanism for applying a telescopic cover to a container, said mechanism comprising means for advancing the container, means for holding a cover in position at substantially right angles to the container to receive the leading side of the container during its advancing movement, means for moving the cover into telescopic relationship to the container by a tilting action, said last-named means comprising a yieldable element arranged to bear lightly against the top of the cover while the cover is carried forward by the container and a second yieldable element arranged .to bear against the first yieldable element to apply increased pressure against the top of the cover at the end of its movement into telescopic engagement with the container.

,2. In a packaging machine, mechanism for applying a telescopic cover to a container, said mechanism comprising means for advancing the container, means for holding a cover in position at substantially right angles to the container to receive the leading side of the container during its advancing movement, means for moving the cover into telescopic relationship to the container by a tilting action, said last-named means comprising a yieldable element arranged to bear lightly against the .top of the cover while the cover is carried forward by the container and a second yieldable element arranged to bear against the first yieldable element to apply increased pressure against the top of the cover while the container is stationary.

3. In a packaging machine, mechanism for applying a telescopic cover to a container, said mechanism comprising means for advancing the container, means for holding a cover in position at substantially right angles to the container to receive the leading side of the container during its advancing movement, means for moving the cover into telescopic relationship to the container by a tilting action, said last-named means comprising a roller arranged to rest against the top of the cover while the cover is carried forward by the container and a cam-controlled lever arranged to press the roller against the top of the cover with increased pressure while the container is stationary.

4. In a packaging machine, mechanism for applying a telescopic cover to a container having an unfolded side, said mechanism comprising means for advancing the container with its unfolded side leading, means for holding the cover in position at substantially right angles to the container to receive the unfolded side of the container during its advancing movement, means for moving the cover into telescopic relationship to the container by a tilting action which simultaneously folds the leading side of the container during its advancing movement, said last-named means comprising a yieldable element arranged to bear lightly against the top of the cover while i the cover is carried forward by the container and a second yieldable element arranged to apply increased pressure against the top of the cover while the container is stationary,

5. In a packaging machine, cam-controlled vacuum means for holding a container blank while an article to be packaged is placed thereon, means for folding several sides of the container blank into upstanding relationship to the bottom thereof, means for advancing the container to a cover-applying station with an unfolded side leading, means for moving a cover into telescopic relationship to the container by a tilting action which simultaneously folds the leading side of the container during its advancing movement, and means for retarding the advancing movement of the completed package to exert pressure against the forward end of the cover which is being applied to the succeeding container and thereby assist in closing said cover into teleand means for advancing the container along said guiding means, means for holding -a cover in position at substantially right angles to the container to receive the leading side of the con tainer during its advancing movement, means tor moving the cover into telescopic relationship to the container by a tilting action, said last-named means comprising a yieldable element arranged to bear against the top of the cover while the cover is carried forward by the container, and frictional means associated with said guiding means, said frictional means comprising a member arranged at one side of said guiding means and'means for resiliently urging said member against the side of the completed package to retard its advancing movement and exert pressure against the forward end of the cover which is being applied to the succeeding container and thereby assist in closing said cover into telescopic engagement with said container.

7. In a packaging machine, means for applying a telescopic cover to a container, said mechanism'comprising means for advancing the container, a chutefor conveying the covers into the path of movement of the'container in a position at substantially right angles to the container,

8. In a packaging machine, mechanism for applying a telescopic cover to a container, said mechanism comprising means for advancing the container, means for holding a cover in position at substantially right angles to a container to receive the leading end of the container during its advancing movement, cam means associated with said advancing means, means operated by said cam means for producing an initial tilting action of the cover as it is engaged by the leading end of the container, a roller arranged to rest against the top 0! the cover while the cover is carried forward by the container and a lever operable by said cam means to press the roller against the top of the cover with increased pressure at the end of its'rnovement into telescopic engagement with the container.

9. In a packaging machine, mechanism for applying a telescopic cover to a container, said mechanism comprising means for advancing the container, means for holding a cover in position at substantially right angles to a container to receive the leading end of the container during its advancing movement, cam means associated with said advancing means, means operated by said cam means for producing an initial tilting action of the cover as it is engaged by the leading end of the container, a roller arranged to" rest against the top of the cover while the cover is carried forward by the container, a lever operable by said cam means to press the roller against the top of the cover with increased pressure at the end of its movement into telescopic engagement with the container, and resilient means associated with said lever for relievingsaid lever from control by said cam means at a predetermined pressure.

ARTHUR EREKSON. 

